AVS › AVS Forum › A/V Control & Automation › Home Automation › Home Automation and Lighting Build Thread
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Home Automation and Lighting Build Thread - Page 4

post #91 of 144
4/26/10 at 12:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony A. View Post

okay understood. im gonna fiddle around with the phantom keypad trick. so just to confirm then, if i plug in these strings into the HAI controller:

\\x0D\\x0AKBP, [01:06:10], 1\\x0D\\x0A

\\x0D\\x0AKBP, [01:06:10], 2\\x0D\\x0A

then when the alarm sounds, it will toggle these on? and when i want to turn them off, simply go to that specific keypad and the led should be illuminated and i can then toggle it off?

and what if the "INTERIOR" button is already engaged when the alarm sounds, does the lutron processor know its current state and the HAI will keep them on and not turn them off? (kind of like a discrete ir command)

Try this.

In Illumination
Go to Programming
click Security

You now have a bunch of options on what you would like security mode to do. Lights to be toggled, keypads to be disabled, ect. You will also see a checkbox for "restore all lights to previous levels". Check that.

Now create a phantom keypad with just two buttons enabled.

Select the first button and name it "Security Mode On". Click the globals tab and select security mode from the list, make sure "begin" is selected and add it to the button.

Select the second button and name it "Security Mode Off". Click the globals tab and select security mode from the list, make sure "terminate" is selected and add it to the button.

Now you can program your security mode in Illumination and only have to worry about pressing one of two buttons to toggle security mode off and on.

This has an added benefit. When you terminate security mode it will restore all lights/cco's/ ect to the level they were at before security mode was activated.
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #92 of 144
4/27/10 at 4:28pm
Thread Starter 
quick update. all ceiling speakers have been installed on the main floor and basement. i have 2 in the kitchen/breakfast area, 2 in the dining room, and 2 in the basement bar. i still have to wire a pair in the master bedroom and a single in the master ensuite. i also may add one in the family room which is open to the kitchen/breakfast area.

i wil have to tackle that project when im up for it since i will need to go into the attic, move some insulation around, cut the vapour barrier, re-seal it, etc. its quite a bit of work and i now regret not building a box for them prior to drywall. in any case, here are some pics.


KITCHEN/BREAKFAST






DINING ROOM



Reply
Reply
post #93 of 144
4/27/10 at 4:29pm
Thread Starter 
for distributed audio, the russound mca-c5 controller is used with a total of 4 mdk-c5 keypads throught the house. 1 is located in the basement bar, 1 on the main floor in the family room (which is open concept to the kitchen/breakfast area) and 2 on the 2nd floor. 1 is in the master bedroom and another in the master ensuite. i don't think i will get much use out of them since i will be using my iphone for control.

FAMILY ROOM
(Russound MDK-C5 Keypad and Lutron Keypad)



Reply
Reply
post #94 of 144
4/27/10 at 6:37pm
Could you have mounted those two together in a 3 gang box. Is the russound controller the same width and height (minus the semicircles) as a 2 gang decora?
Reply
Reply
post #95 of 144
4/27/10 at 8:20pm
Thread Starter 
no, it is slightly bigger. it would be nice and seamless that way, but unfortunately no dice.

what i wish i did differently was install a 1" shim on the single gang box below to have it centered to the russound keypad. oh well, next time!!
Reply
Reply
post #96 of 144
4/28/10 at 4:10am
I am pretty sure you could have mounted them in a three gang box. I think Russound accounted for their intercom system and made an appropriate face plate. Not that it matters. I like the screwless faceplates alot too
Reply
Reply
post #97 of 144
4/28/10 at 6:52am
Thread Starter 
hmmm, technically you could mount the keypad and the lutron switch in a 3 gang, but i don't remember seeing a compatible faceplate for the 3. if you have a link or pic of it i would be interested. you never know, i may get the itch down the road to make some "tweaks" with the appearance.
Reply
Reply
post #98 of 144
4/28/10 at 6:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony A. View Post

hmmm, technically you could mount the keypad and the lutron switch in a 3 gang, but i don't remember seeing a compatible faceplate for the 3. if you have a link or pic of it i would be interested. you never know, i may get the itch down the road to make some "tweaks" with the appearance.

From the pictures it looked like the square portion of the russound controller is the same dimensions as the w x h of a dual gang decora faceplate openings (imagine the center divider between openings removed) in which case a 3 gang decora could be milled to fit both controls in one box.

I may be wrong but I think that Lutron also might custom make faceplates for such applications.

I know there is a couple fabrication shops here in STL that will custom mill faceplates for applications like yours. It all depends upon how much you are will to pay for aesthetics I guess.

If you do get that itch I wouldn't think it would be too difficult to patch the single gang and swap the two gang out for a three gang since the drywall appears to be textureless.
Reply
Reply
post #99 of 144
4/28/10 at 2:12pm
Thread Starter 
thats true. custom would be the way to go. mind you, i really don't see myself using the russound keypads much anyway, especially since i will be using my iphone for control and possibly the ipad in several rooms around the house when it comes to canada (next month).

the only reason i never went with a full crestron setup was because i wanted to have 4 touchpanels around the house and that would have cost me an arm. the ipad is a great solution at an excellent price. hopefully HAI, H@me or even MYRO will come out with some nice GUI apps for it and i can have the touchpanel control i have always wanted.
Reply
Reply
post #100 of 144
4/28/10 at 4:14pm
nice topic mate

do u recommend Russound for audio Distribution ??
Reply
Reply
post #101 of 144
4/28/10 at 4:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony A. View Post

thats true. custom would be the way to go. mind you, i really don't see myself using the russound keypads much anyway, especially since i will be using my iphone for control and possibly the ipad in several rooms around the house when it comes to canada (next month).

the only reason i never went with a full crestron setup was because i wanted to have 4 touchpanels around the house and that would have cost me an arm. the ipad is a great solution at an excellent price. hopefully HAI, H@me or even MYRO will come out with some nice GUI apps for it and i can have the touchpanel control i have always wanted.

You can always try your hand at CommandFusion for the iPhone/iPad.
Reply
Reply
post #102 of 144
5/10/10 at 8:54pm
Hey,
I'm wondering. What's the necessary prewiring for HomeWorks 4? I'm considering it in the new house and I can't find it anywhere on the internet.
Reply
Reply
post #103 of 144
5/11/10 at 5:07am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by gumati View Post

nice topic mate

do u recommend Russound for audio Distribution ??

i think its pretty good for the price. audio distribution really has a lot to do with features that the end user wants/needs. the mca-c5 had the inputs and sources that i needed, and the keypads displayed all the info i was looking for. there are many choices out there and only you can be the judge. but overall, im very happy with the russound. not a glitch and the internal amps sound decent. i only wish it had a doorbell function (other than page/mute) so i could have doorbell tunes play directly over the system. that is my next project.
Reply
Reply
post #104 of 144
5/11/10 at 5:07am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fiasco View Post

You can always try your hand at CommandFusion for the iPhone/iPad.

im actually looking into it. i may create my own ipad version.
Reply
Reply
post #105 of 144
5/11/10 at 5:15am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JTR7 View Post

Hey,
I'm wondering. What's the necessary prewiring for HomeWorks 4? I'm considering it in the new house and I can't find it anywhere on the internet.

its fairly simple really. basically, all your light loads go straight to the equipment/electrical room. from there, you connect each light load to a zone on the wallbox power module. the wpm has a live load/neutral and ground connection. each wpm should be on a 15a breaker, so you take the power from the main electrical panel and connect it to the wpm. thats it for high voltage.

for low voltage, you need lutron pink i believe (4 conductor) for the keypads and lutron blue (2 conductor) for dimmers. i used crestnet cable cause my dealer had extra and its essentially the same wire (thats why its green in the pics).

now this is where you need to decide. if you want to use keypads everywhere, then the light loads go directly to the equipment room. if on the other hand you want rooms to use maestro dimmers (say closets, bathrooms, etc), then you need to wire these rooms to use a light switch. these loads DO NOT get connected to the wpm. all you need to do for these types of lights is run lutron blue to each dimmer/switch location and back to the processor.

let me know if my answer is concise enough.
Reply
Reply
post #106 of 144
5/11/10 at 3:29pm
That's concise enough. And if like someone else suggested a ways back you do what they do and wire the wpm into the back of a closet or something closer to the load itself to save wire. What connects the wpm to the processor?

Do keypads get wired directly to the processor then?

Oh, and by the way, what did the wpms cost each and what did the processor cost?
Reply
Reply
post #107 of 144
5/11/10 at 6:20pm
Thread Starter 
i personally like the centralized wpm near the main breaker panel. wpm's really are designed by lutron to be put in closets, but for a homeworks 4 system, i think the centralized way is easier to troubleshoot and can always be replaced one day to a homeworks 8 or vantage, crestron, etc. you can also take the system out and run everything off the breaker panel if need be.

each wpm gets daisy chanined together and then a single wire back to the processor.

keypads all get connected to the processor, or can be daisy chained i think at a max of 6 per run.

cost for me is different since im in canada and is usually more $$$ than usa, but roughly $800/wpm and processor is around $2k-$2.5k.
Reply
Reply
post #108 of 144
5/11/10 at 7:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony A. View Post

i personally like the centralized wpm near the main breaker panel. wpm's really are designed by lutron to be put in closets, but for a homeworks 4 system, i think the centralized way is easier to troubleshoot and can always be replaced one day to a homeworks 8 or vantage, crestron, etc. you can also take the system out and run everything off the breaker panel if need be.

each wpm gets daisy chanined together and then a single wire back to the processor.

keypads all get connected to the processor, or can be daisy chained i think at a max of 6 per run.

cost for me is different since im in canada and is usually more $$$ than usa, but roughly $800/wpm and processor is around $2k-$2.5k.

Placing the WPM's close to the loads (ie,nearby closets, pantries ect) drastically reduces the amount of wire and electrician labor over home running every thing.
Reply
Reply
post #109 of 144
5/12/10 at 5:18am
JTR7,

One thing to keep in mind is that Anthony used one method for installing a Series 4. You can also use a decentralized method and use wired HW Maestro's and wire the house in a standard configuration. The same processor can then control each wired device. You can also add keypads to set scenes etc.
Reply
Reply
post #110 of 144
5/12/10 at 1:52pm
Thanks herdfan. So regular Maestro dimmers or do they have to be special?

Anthony, any idea if it's possible to use those keypads with the CAV6.6 since they both use the RNET protocol? The UNO keypads look like junk.
Reply
Reply
post #111 of 144
5/13/10 at 5:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JTR7 View Post

Thanks herdfan. So regular Maestro dimmers or do they have to be special?

They are special. Look for HWD as the first 3 digits in the model #. Will cost a bit more than using WPM's, but you can use traditional house wiring. You would just need to run the control wires.
Reply
Reply
post #112 of 144
5/13/10 at 9:50am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JTR7 View Post

Anthony, any idea if it's possible to use those keypads with the CAV6.6 since they both use the RNET protocol? The UNO keypads look like junk.

no, they only work with the mca controller. rnet protocol, from what i know, is not universal among their units and specific to each series. i know because i wanted to use the e-series style but no dice.
Reply
Reply
post #113 of 144
5/13/10 at 9:53am
Thread Starter 
i personally feel that the homeworks system strength is in using keypads to control multiple lights. lets say in the kitchen you want 5 lights to control. that would be 5 maestro switches. or, you could use a single keypad to control all of them. much sleeker in my opinion. the only place i would use maestro switches is for bedrooms, closets, baths, etc. if i could do it all over again, i would put keypads everywhere and only use maestro's for closets. once you get accustomed to using keypads, you will hate switches.
Reply
Reply
post #114 of 144
5/13/10 at 9:59am
Thread Starter 
on a side note, i just bought the H@me app from digitaldan and its awesome. i still don't have the lights or russound progammed yet into the HAI controller, but the HVAC and alarm is amazing. pretty soon, i will need to start researching cctv cameras for my place. i prewired for 4.
Reply
Reply
post #115 of 144
5/13/10 at 1:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony A. View Post

i would put keypads everywhere and only use maestro's for closets. once you get accustomed to using keypads, you will hate switches.

Actually, my wife likes being able to hit a large switch as she leaves the room. For example, in our MBR at the door in a 4 gang box I have Maestro, Keypad, Maestro, Maestro. The first Maestro turns on the bedroom light. But once it is on, pressing it as you leave the room turns off all the lights. Of course, the keypad next to it allows for scene control, but 95% of the time, we use main Maestro.

Of course, I have a wireless system that was retrofit, so I already had all of those switches in place and if I were installing a new system, I might do it differently.
Reply
Reply
post #116 of 144
5/20/10 at 7:35pm
Thread Starter 
well, i've run into my first issue with the HAI thermostat and my AC unit. the thermostat clicks, but does not seem to have enough power to actually turn on the AC unit. i tested the AC line voltage by bypassing the thermostat and it works fine. HAI tech is stumped, although they think i need to get an HVAC transformer. they say the thermostat power supply module will not fix the issue. my installer will be coming out in a few weeks to replace my rc-1000 to the rc-2000 and also supply a power module. i don't think this will get resolved.

any advice?
Reply
Reply
post #117 of 144
5/22/10 at 3:31am
Is your Omnistat reseting when it tries to engage the AC?

You mentioned your power supply module. Your symptoms sound just like my omnistat before I installed the power supply module.
Reply
Reply
post #118 of 144
5/22/10 at 8:16pm
Thread Starter 
i believe so. it actually locks up completely as it tries to start the ac. it will continue to click, but i cannot make any changes. only way to get it working again is to take the cover off... which is like a hard reset. is this the same symptom as yours?
Reply
Reply
post #119 of 144
5/22/10 at 10:31pm
Exactly the same. Did you already check the connections on your power module?
Reply
Reply
post #120 of 144
5/23/10 at 12:51pm
Thread Starter 
i have not yet received the power module. i will be replacing the rc-1000 that i have now with the rc-2000 and at the same time add the power module in. i checked the wiring on the rc-1000 already and i have it connected properly with a common wire on #3.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Home Automation

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › A/V Control & Automation › Home Automation › Home Automation and Lighting Build Thread